


Day One

by xladysaya



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Kuroo being cheesy, M/M, relationship reflections, the usual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 12:17:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18660274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xladysaya/pseuds/xladysaya
Summary: Kuroo thinks about his life before Tsukishima Kei, and finds there's not much there worth remembering.





	Day One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ruurii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruurii/gifts).



> Yooo it's been a while since I've just posted some straight up fluff, so that needed to change lmao. This is a commission I did for Ruurii that I decided to post because I quite like how it turned out! I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Big thanks to [EmeraldWaves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldWaves/pseuds/EmeraldWaves) for reading this over!

Kuroo doesn't hesitate as he hears the mix of tire and metal screech to a halt. The doors open, letting the heat trapped inside billow out, and Kuroo already has one foot on the dirty steps.

His best friend's skepticism is the only thing which makes him reflect.

"Wait...you hate the bus," Kenma says as Kuroo takes his first step onto the campus shuttle. It makes Kuroo pause; he knows despite Kenma's demeanor, he does catalog and care about Kuroo's habits. He has a good point too; Kuroo  _hates_  the bus.

Looking down, he can see the bits and pieces of gunk and grime stuck on the steps as the driver regards him as if he's a speck of dust; the usual. Kuroo is nothing more than another annoying college student who takes up a space on the old rickety vehicle. The only thing which makes him stand out is his hair. Soon though, even that won't be noticeable among the sweaty sea of students, freshman backpacks stuffed full and bumping into him with every brake. Kuroo grimaces at the thought and already feels too warm, and he grinds his foot into the steps as if to convince himself this really is the best course of action. Just like it had been that night, whether he knew it or not.

The traction strips are sticky and worn away as his foot glides over them.

For most of his college career, Kuroo has preferred to walk. The twenty minute stroll, whether in heat or snow, has never been the worse option for him; the joy of watching the crowded bus pass him on the sidewalk is unparalleled.

Despite all the awful things about the ride though, he rides the bus whenever Kei is gone. It might be silly, so silly he's never told his boyfriend about it, but Kuroo copes with things strangely sometimes. When Kei is away on class trips or conferences, Kuroo can't help but find himself here at the shitty bus stop.

Because as awful as the ride is, he owes his life to it. It grounds him, and reminds him he's always headed in the right direction.

Kuroo throws a grin over his shoulder at his best friend, content with his fate. Kei comes home tonight, so he really shouldn't be this stubborn about taking the bus, but...the heart wants what it wants. "Yeah, but I'm just going to take it for today."

It's all he says, and all most people need.

Not Kenma.

The other just narrows his eyes until they're beady, regarding Kuroo with more disgust than the smog pouring out of the vehicle in front of him. Kenma knows more about the day Kuroo met his beloved boyfriend than anyone, so he's the only one Kuroo will allow to say anything remotely rude about it.

As a last, loving goodbye, Kenma shakes his head, freeing them from the staring contest. "You're a sap and it's disgusting."

Kuroo beams, and his friend fades into the distance with the sound of rolling tires.

\--

Kuroo can't really remember his life before he met Tsukishima Kei.

Okay well, that's being dramatic, but he means it in a poetic sense. Kuroo has lived a good life, and he's not even halfway through it; a nice family, good friends, even better grades. Life has always seemed laid out in front of him, ready for Kuroo to take advantage of every little fortunate circumstance. His father never made him feel like he was missing anything in life, and his grandparents taught him how to work hard.

He had what he needed. Yet, he never knew how to apply any of that. The passions and drive he had in high school seemed to fade in and out once he got to college.

What was he supposed to do with his life? He wanted to be successful, but none of the jobs or majors he tried spoke to him. He didn't want to put in the effort. Kuroo wasn't used to being so deprived of passion; maybe he just didn't care about his future. It was a horrifying thing to think about, and for awhile, he couldn't look his family in the eye.

They could probably tell something was wrong,  _off_ , but Kuroo was determined to solve the problem himself.

It couldn't be the truth, he couldn’t be this dispassionate, he knew it. Part of him had to still care. He was more than this slump of his, but it felt like he was truly trapped a lot of the time. Slow, unimportant, hopeless. He needed someone to remind him that it would all work out, or maybe more than that, he wanted someone there who could convince him to  _try_  again.

But then he found someone who didn't need to convince him; Kuroo met him, and his heart did the rest.

The weather that day wasn't just rainy, it was downright muggy. The sweat beaded on Kuroo's forehead from the humidity, and every moment spent cramped in the bus was taking its toll. He just wanted to go home and sleep, but every stop seemed endless, with more and more students piling on. That's when Kuroo felt a lot of weight against him all too suddenly.

Someone tripped, spectacularly, and had fallen right onto him. Instinctively, Kuroo jumped, hands coming up to grab this unfortunate person's shoulders. "Whoa! You okay?"

He didn't know what compelled him to ask that; it must've been his good manners, or some brilliant stroke of luck. Kuroo wanted to be annoyed, hell he wanted to _sound_ annoyed more than anything, but when the blond in his arms raised his head in a panic, all negativity lifted out of Kuroo like it'd been exorcised.

It wasn't just that the blond was beautiful, but he was. Anyone would be a fool to say otherwise. But more than that, he looked too flustered, too frustrated...

He looked how Kuroo felt, stuck somewhere he really didn't want to be.

The blond faltered before hurriedly standing up straight, but he didn't get far. There was really nowhere to move in the bus, so he settled for the spot right next to Kuroo. He looked like he wanted to sink into the ground, and it was the most endearing thing Kuroo had ever seen. "I--I...sorry--" The blond cleared his throat, schooling his panicked features back to an uncaring indifference.

Kuroo couldn't help but smile, watching the way the blond fidgeted with the tangled cord of his headphones.

This was by far not the most awkward exchange Kuroo had ever had on the bus; there was the time someone spilled soda on him, for instance. Even that time, Kuroo had been okay with moving past it in silence, falling back into the motions of acting like no one else existed.

The blond changed that. Kuroo couldn't ignore him, no matter how much he tried.

"It's..." Kuroo began, distracted by the flecks of gold in the other's eyes. "It's okay."

It really was, and Kuroo was shocked to realize he meant it. He was in his least favorite place in the whole world, but he felt fine. More than fine.

There was something buzzing under his skin, a shot of energy and adrenaline he hadn't felt in a long time, and he could feel himself getting addicted already.

The blond nodded, and Kuroo latched onto that feeling; he wouldn't let it stop, even as it tried to fade away into the background noise of the bus.

The silence didn't last long.

Kuroo moved forward on his seat, trying not to falter under the intense wariness in the blond's eyes. Kuroo had this. It had been a long time since he'd flirted with anyone, but he didn't remember being too awful at it. "Uh, it's sure crowded huh?"

Nice. Nevermind.

Kuroo closed his eyes, mentally hitting himself, but the blond didn't seem to care, or notice the blunder. If anything, he seemed relieved Kuroo initiated the conversation instead of letting the quiet between them fester.

Some of the tension in the blond's shoulders dissipated, biting his lip in a way Kuroo had to try hard not to fixate on.The blond didn't look like much of a talker, but discomfort didn't always come in the form of words.

The blond huffed, his flat expression briefly morphing into rueful. "Good observation."

There was a pause, a split second of shock where the blond finally remembered this was a stranger, not someone he should be freely throwing sarcastic comments at. The blond swallowed, internally scolding himself, and Kuroo loved every moment of it. His smile was probably too blinding for such a shitty day, but something about the blond's mannerisms were...adorable. Completely so. "I mean...yeah, it is. I hate the bus."

Kuroo knew it was just filler; something everyone said, but he latched onto that too. No one ever had to force him to complain about the bus. Besides, he was just happy the blond was still talking to him.

"I usually walk," Kuroo shrugged, wincing with extra flair as he looked around the crowded bus. The blond followed his gaze, tracking the drooling sleepers and the kid frantically trying to clean up his spilled coffee. They both grimaced. "But I don't care to walk that long in the rain."

His new companion obviously identified with that.

"I forgot my umbrella." It was pained enough to make Kuroo squint; come to think of it, the tops of the blond's shoulders did look a little wet. The bangs of his hair stuck to his forehead, small drops of rainwater dancing along the tops of his glasses. Kuroo couldn't really think of a worse fate, on a day like this. "I technically still have to walk after my stop."

And despite the silence that returned, Kuroo couldn't stop staring. He didn't realize it until much later, but his heart and mind were already concocting some sort of plan, seeking the blond out with a passion Kuroo didn't think he had anymore. Kuroo asked years later whether or not Kei felt something weird that day too, something different. He kept staring too after all, lost in Kuroo's gaze even as they stood in the filthiest place on campus. And more than that...

"How about I walk with you?" Kuroo suggested without thinking, as if something wrung it out of him in a panic. Like he didn't want to lose this opportunity. His hand twitched, bringing up his umbrella as if he needed evidence. The thing was small, it wouldn't keep them both dry, not even a bit. Yet something in Kuroo bit his tongue and made him wait, fixated on the way those honey brown eyes widened.

They were strangers, and later Kuroo learned Kei was not one to trust easily. That day had been a fluke for the both of them, the greatest fluke of their lives.

Who knew what possessed Kei to accept that proposal. Maybe he'd felt it too, the promise of  _something_  there that with a little time, could be something they couldn't live without.

_You're being dramatic again_ , the voice in Kuroo's head says as he rides the bus all the way home, not at all spiteful of the loud people in the back, or the suspiciously wet floors. He smiles too, because yeah he's being over the top, but he's also right.

Kei knows it.

Kuroo makes it to their bus stop, and his apartment has never looked better, bathed in the orange glow of the sunset. Maybe because it's not just his apartment, and the bags in front of the door let him know his other half has finally come home.

Taking the bus had definitely been worth it, if not to get here just a few minutes earlier.

It's stupid to be this emotional before it's dark out, but with Kei, he can't help it. With Kei in his life, he has direction, he knows what he wants.

Kei jumps when Kuroo wraps his arms around him from behind, batting him away lightly. "I told you not to do that."

It's a warning, but there's no real bite behind it. Kuroo buries his nose into Kei's neck, grin growing by the second. "You're too paranoid."

They both are. That's what they get for watching too many horror movies at two in the morning.

Kei huffs cutely before his eyes flit to the rolling behemoth across the street, the metal and smog hard to ignore. "You took the bus?"

Kuroo blushes, just a little. Kei may not know about his strange habit, but it's not hard to make the connection. If Kei is gone, strolling down memory lane is never out of the question.

"Of course," Kuroo says, voice muffed from where he's still buried. Kei squirms without much effort, trying to break free. "I missed you."

Like a snake, Kuroo coils tighter.

"You're so weird," Kei sighs, but the squirming stops, content with the warmth Kuroo offers on the cool spring day. It might rain soon, judging from the sky...

If it were up to Kuroo, he'd keep them both in the rest of the week. But Kei has more club meetings, and Kuroo can't risk falling behind on his med school studies.

They both work hard, and it comforts Kuroo, knowing it's all for each other's sake.

From that he squeezes tighter, and Kei gives a fake cough.

"But you love me," Kuroo pokes, stretching out the words obnoxiously, and maybe he is fishing for reassurance. He does need it sometimes, contrary to popular belief.

But deep down he knows the truth.

"Mm," Kei hums, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I do."

It's more than enough; there was a time Kei could only nod back, and even then Kuroo felt more loved than anyone in the universe. Now it just hurts from how good it feels, mostly because he couldn't imagine being without this feeling.

It's cheesy and overdone, but he's nothing by himself at this point. Kei's life is too wrapped up in his own, and he's more than okay with it.

Placing a quick kiss to Kei’s cheek, Kuroo helps him with his bags as it barely begins to sprinkle.

The umbrella they shared all those years ago sits in their doorway unused, and Kuroo pulls Kei into the warmth of their home, eager to make up for lost time.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Comments are always appreciated ^^ This fic was based off the song [Day One](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWOB5QYcmh0) by Honne, so check that out if you get the chance! 
> 
>  
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/itsloveuasshole)


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